10 Ways to Protect Your Tiny House on Wheels from Theft

onJanuary 3, 2015

Yesterday you might have heard about a tiny house on wheels being stolen from someone’s property.

Fortunately, Casey found the house last night. And I’m so happy that he did. But now I just don’t want anything like this to ever happen to you. I’ve been thinking, “what can we all learn from this?” And, “what did Casey learn from this that we should know?”

So I decided to put some information together for you to help protect your current or future tiny house on wheels from being stolen. This is all especially important if you leave the premises for long periods of time.

If you have any other tiny house security tips that I missed and that would be helpful to the rest of the community about protecting a trailered tiny home from potential thieves (or even break ins) then please tell us about it in the comments below.

6. Put Your Tiny House Someplace Where You Have Neighbors Nearby

Maybe you can even invite other tiny house people to come live on your property with you and everyone can help each other out and keep the place safe. At the very least, have your nearby neighbors keep an eye out for you while you’re gone. But why not go somewhere that’s relatively close to others? Or on a family property? If not, you can still use the other tips here to amp up your security.

7. Put In a Simple Security System

A security system with loud alarms that would also be able to call the police on your behalf is another smart and surefire way to protect your tiny home. Today there are pretty cool and affordable systems that would work really well in a tiny house.

Alex

Alex is a contributor and editor for TinyHouseTalk.com and the always free Tiny House Newsletter. He has a passion for exploring and sharing tiny homes (from yurts and RVs to tiny cabins and cottages) and inspiring simple living stories. We invite you to send in your story and tiny home photos too so we can re-share and inspire others towards a simple life too. Thank you!

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My grandparents lived in a Winnebago trailer for six years, not in the nicest part of the country. Whenever their house was parked, they jacked it up, put it on blocks and removed the wheels, leaving them in a storage locker next to a friend’s garage. They were accessible when the home needed to be moved, but it couldn’t be moved unless they wanted it to be.

Great idea! I would suggest placing the tires on a platform off the ground as well. The moisture in the ground would probably rot them over time. For the same reason, the platform probably shouldn’t be wood as it would transfer moisture from the ground to the tires, too. Plastic would probably be the way to go.

Around here folks remove the tires and have their tiny house on blocks, as well as planters around the base of the home. Can understand why the man was so livid and upset about the house being taken, but was sad to read his give up and be PO’d mindset, vowing to never live in a tiny house. Guess I just dislike the give up and pout attitude.

Yeah, anyone would be upset, but they kinda went off the deep end. It would be hard to move and conceal soemthing this big, so chances were good it was going to turn up before long. People have dealt with far worse, it didn’t warrant that reaction.

Yep. It was found. Casey was quoted in the paper and sounded far more positive than his original blog post had [surprise!]

Now that his ordeal is over he may rethink and decide to move ahead after all – – a little wiser and more knowledgeable for the experience. I hope he does, though of course, anyone would be completely disheartened by what happened to him and his wife.

I won’t be needing it for my home which I plan to build on a foundation BUT I drive a GEM NEV [glorified golf cart – street legal] and this would be great for it. It’s my only vehicle and, seriously, someone could almost tuck it under his arm and walk off with it. Not much of an exaggeration at all.

Install 12″ sonotube footing with eye bolt in concrete /cable to frame .Footing should go down 36″ to 48″ no one is going to drive away with that or tire traps work well and there is a good chance you’ll catch them nobody caries that many spare tires

I think a GPS tracker is the perfect solution for a tiny house that is mobile. You can purchase them from $40-$400, and get a pre-paid SIM card for $40-$200 per year. Most of these trackers work by calling them, then they hang up on you and text you their position with a link to google maps. A quick call to the police, and you have your property back!

Good job Alex. As I told Casey, this may have been a blessing in disguise. Look at how much we have all learned because of this and how wonderfully the community came together. I for one am greatly encouraged that everyone has gained from this experience and look how strong Casey has rebounded.

I don’t believe lights scare off many thieves. If there’s something they want they’re still gonna go for it because chances are no one is paying attention or sitting there staring out there window to catch them in the act. People waste money running bright “security” lights all night, but how can you see what they’re shining on while you’re sleeping? 🙂

As much as I hate to admit it, I am am a former Heroin Addict and their. Speaking from experience the best deterrent contrary to what someone said security lights do make a difference especially motion sensor because when they come on that tells everyone something or someone set them off. Also dogs are even a bigger deterrent and finally if you make a sign that says somewhere there is a Gps tracking device hidden or even better devices that will deter most thieves. All the other ideas about removing wheels , locks are good too. Most thieves are lazy or addicts looking for the easiest opportunity to make some quick cash. All the above makes it turn into too much work and too much risk. Truthfully you’d have to be a real idiot to steal a Tiny House because each one is so unique. Finally having burglar alarm signs and stickers and a good shotgun on hand also help.

“Truthfully you’d have to be a real idiot to steal a Tiny House because each one is so unique.” Right you are. Casey’s home was found parked, pretty as you please, in the thief’s driveway. Yeah, like a house parked in your driveway isn’t going to draw attention. **Ahem**

To quote some TV show [Law and Order, I think] “Thank God most crooks are stupid.”

If you’re sleeping (which most people do at night) then you’re not going to see a motion sensor light come on outdoors. I know several people who have them at their front door or facing the driveway and none of them ever seem to know I’ve arrived until I knock on the door, so I guess they don’t help much while you’re awake either. In some cases I imagine they’re useful, but in most it’s just security theater.

Not so sure about dogs as a deterrent anyway. I had a friend who had 2 great danes. they were making a terrible ruckus and my friend distinctly heard one potential thief say, “No problem. Let em bark, they won’t bite.” My friend was home. She let them get up on the porch and said, “May I help you?” and they took off like a shot.

I have had my home burglarized repeatedly because I live in the Deep South and that’s just what goes on here. They are not afraid of anything. They went under my house and cut the wires to the system connected to the phones. I had 2 German shepherd dogs and one was shot to death and the other slashed up so badly with a box cutter I had to put him down; so, I got a Chihuahua but she only tells me when they are around; no other protection. My best suggestions are:

(1) Make sure all of your exterior doors swing inward with no exposed hinges for them to get at. Then install a “Zombie Bar” across the door.

(2) Make sure when you build to reinforce the door frame (kicking the door in is the easiest way to gain entry in the shortest amount of time.) Build the frame with Oak wood and then use an online kit that has long strips of tempered steel you can easily install which will deter this mode of entry.

(3) Only install windows that are too small for even a child to be fitted through. Yes, professional burglars even use their own children to gain access. (If you want big windows then cluster small ones to give you that light/effect/look.)

(4) Install “eyebrow” windows up high for light. This will give you more interior wall space to put up flat screens or push furniture against, or hang pictures while you have an overhead/top-of-the-wall daylight source.

(5) Install a CCTV system. This is a big investment, but you will get the bad guys on DVD so the police have something to work with. (5) When not on the road, put your THOW up on blocks or jacks and cover with a surround. (6) Post smaller “No Trespassing” signs on your THOW; if they intrude you have grounds for a criminal complaint. (7) Use a hitch lock but don’t be surprised if they pick it, so I’d suggest you combine this with wheel locks, too. (8) I put two dead bolts on my doors and removed the doorknob. I unlock the lower lock first, then I unlock the upper lock, then I use the upper lock key turned sideways to pull the door open. This seems to have had a rewarding effect. They have abandoned the burglary for the time being and are now focused on vandalizing the house and foundation. I have a foundation house now. If my home were a THOW, I’d simply move and that would end the problem instantly. This is the great advantage of a THOW. [Don’t expect any kind of help from the police; they’re not interested if you aren’t a corporation, a CEO, the Koch brothers or a Donald Trump.] (8) Find or start a Tiny House Park so you can have a neighborhood watch over your tiny houses; like a gated community. This is one place a posted sigh (re a neighborhood watch) would have any real impact.

I found that signs (“dog”) and noises don’t really deter the professional thief. They operate on a “smash and grab” basis and the best thing is to work on their fear of getting caught in the act. If they are really professional, they have one posted as a look out while the other(s) do the hit.

Where in the “Deep South” do you live??? I’m in what’s considered the “Deep South” although break in/theft occurs.. I’ve seen a whole lot more up north in the larger cities… Where I come from kicking in a door would be met with the blast of a big gun… As the saying goes… That locked door is for YOUR protection… Being mindful that the world ain’t the leave your windows and door open world it once was is about all we can do. If I’m home don’t come busting in.. The coroner will remove you…

Bada boom, bada bing! My hubby, a bona fide security expert (who is coincidentally also named Bob G) has already decided to do this very thing, but we will also have an off-site storage place for the tires and other things we want to keep. Other measures will be taken against B & E and vandalism, including a hidden camera. No matter how small the home, adequate insurance is always a must, too. Don’t under-insure!

As an add-on to #5 (Get a dog)… regardless of the size of dog you get (or even if you don’t have a dog) create the impression that you have a very LARGE dog by getting the biggest water bowl you can find. Put it on the porch or somewhere that is visible and a plausible place for a dog water dish, and keep it filled with water.

Dave, I have an almost 100 pound Chocolate Labrador. He is a gentle giant. Wouldn’t be aggressive to save his life, but we are convinced that he would sacrifice his life to save ours. He is a terrible watchdog as far as barking at sounds, or when someone comes to the door lol. But, let me tell you about something he’s great at. Due to his sheer size, anyone that hasn’t met him yet, jumps when they first see him. They just don’t know that he isn’t aggressive, and doesn’t bite. I used to tell everyone not to worry because he won’t hurt them. Now that we have had some break-ins, I let everyone believe he is a big meany lol.

Excellent! The big dog bowl is supposed to create the impression that you have a large dog (“mean” is implied)… whether you do or not, or if you do and it’s a friendly big dog, is irrelevant, it’s the impression that matters. Let the bad guys go somewhere else. I like that you have allowed people to think he is mean!

You could do a southern alarm. Get a big water bowl like you said, but do pairs of at least two, the biggest mens boots you can find size-14 or over, a hunting & gun magazines and pile all of them near the front door. Throw a fake dead rabbit by the bowl and write a note on the door saying you think one of the dogs caught rabies and he keeps running out of the woods at people & he almost caught the mailman and to stay in the car until you can catch him. Funny as hell as a prank-might work for crackheaded thieves though ^_^

Any trailer or any home cand be stolen or broken into. I have always applied the take the wheels off even to my bicycle and tractor. I also have a Hitch lock out and a 1/2 inch braded cable lock that is difficult to cut without a grinder. Most alarm companies require a permanent phone or cel electronics at the address. Two things I do not want, permant address or permanent phone. Skirt the base of your TH like they do mobile homes or RVs in a park. The idea is to make it look like it will take to long for thieves to consider it as a target. Anything left unattended one can expect it to disappear or be damaged. It is one reason I am getting out of the city.

I’m sorry but that fake TV has me laughing. I can just picture people who would never have a real one being desperate enough to get one of those things. I can see some sensible precautions suggested but if you have to turn your house into a fortress perhaps it’s time to move. My place is unattended a lot but I guess I’ve been lucky so far. It’s locked up enough to keep out casual thievery but a determined person could get in. I’m afraid they’d be severely disappointed by what they find inside though. My biggest worry was always vandalism more than theft.

Fake TV? Are you talking about a CCTV? This isn’t a fake TV it is an infra red closed circuit surveillance system with computer and DVD burner capabilities.

Not everyone will use every suggestion offered above. It is an array of possible solutions from which people can choose.

Some times it’s not possible to move and an armed “fortress” really is the best way to survive.

The economy hasn’t been very good in quite some time. Some people are resourceful enough to learn to garden, downsize, re-cycle, etc. But there are going to be those people in society who will make up the shortfall of a stagnant economy by taking what is not theirs to take.

Where I live, the self-employed lawn maintenance businesses are unregulated and many people who have prison histories go into this because regular employment would be denied to them by any company that does background checks. We also have trades people (carpenters, electricians, plumbers, etc.) who service by day and five finger discount by night. We have several families in my town who, IMHO, are line-bred criminals and teach their children from cradle to grave to take what they want; they are shockingly bold. I’m not mentioning this to put a damper on anything, but I don’t see a return to abundance for America any time soon (especially with the 115th Congress). The police have been converted to a paramilitary force via the Patriot Act and the Militarization Authorization Act. What does that mean for us? It means, “you’re on your own”. So, I think it’s prudent to be prudent.

As we build our tiny homes, it is a good thing to stop and think about safety and security measures like removable hitches, clusters of smaller windows, exterior door hinges to the inside only, etc. And if you do find yourself in a situation where you can’t move (kids in school, elderly parents living close by, etc.,) then a CCTV system located on upper exterior walls lets wannabe troublemakers they’d have a better and easier time of it elsewhere.

Number 10, fake TV. It puts out a blue light so it looks like someone is home watching TV. Like I said, some sensible precautions are mentioned. Determined thieves have a way around most deterrents so you aren’t likely to stop every attempt. If you can’t move then some kind of Neighbourhood Watch might be a good idea. Sometimes putting up a lot of security just makes it look like you have a lot of valuables but nothing beats eyes on the street.

I agree. Vigilance is the best remedy. I also think that living in a THOW Park is the way to go. You have a lot in common with your neighbors and can form a neighborhood watch over your tiny homes to guard against would-be abusers. We need lots of TH Parks as the movement grows and also to change the zoning laws so people can live in their tiny houses in peace.

My father did exactly as you describe, August, years ago. Worked great!

I plan on getting a travel trailer, and will get the hitch coupler vault and the wheel lock.

Harbor Freight is a good resource for solar lights with motion sensors that go on at night, and they also have a diy alarm system for sale, and their products aren’t real expensive if cost is a factor.

https://www.dropcam.com. Not cheap, but reasonable for what it is: $200 for a plug-and-play camera, and $100 per year for a rolling 7-day recording. The camera alerts your smart phone when there’s motion detected, and allows two-way audio. That’s right, you can see, hear and shout at the burglar, and it’s all captured on digital video.

I’m not convinced a gun is the best way to go. I have shot at my intruders on several occasions and this hasn’t deterred them one bit. I asked the police what to do and they said, “Shoot him.” But realize, if you only hurt him and don’t kill him he can sue you in court for millions, and if you do manage to kill him you are running the risk of a 10-20 year prison sentence depending upon your state.

I own weapons and he has come into the house and just taken my ammunition and messed up the round lift in my shotgun; in other words, he takes it as a joke and is messing with my mind. Better to do some of these other things (wheel locks, removable hitch, lights with sensors,) and not even engage than to risk the fallout. I live in FL. This is a Stand-Your-Ground state, but even I hesitate to kill someone with a potential for 20 years in prison or a multi-million dollar wrongful death or other tort action.

I would recommend shutters for all windows, when you leave you can close and lock them up. Doing this will also help protect the windows when to tiny home is in transit and help prevent theft or vandilism. I am currently trying to find shutters that work kind of like a garage door but are hand cranked so I can open them with or with out power.

I like this suggestion but I’m wondering if just wood shutters would do it. I’m also wondering if metal hurricane shutters might be a solution. I think there are many things TH people need for their THOW and hopefully the market will get around to producing these items for this specific use since the THM seems to be exploding … globally!

Tips from an EX-Thiefe I saw on tv, : Have 2 radios on while you’re gone, music near the front door & “talk radio” on further back in the house to give the impression to anyone approaching to listen at the door that people ate home. There are “blue light flashers” that give the illusion to viewers outside that that someone’s home watching tv. Put a huge Dog’s dish in plain view on the front porch, (complete w. the name Killer or Terminator or Jaws or Chainsaw or some other threatening name painted on it.) Leave a pair of size 12 men’s boots in plain view on the porch, gives warning that “A Big Guy Lives Here.” If a good friend visits you regularly it’s safer to have that same person check your home day/night, someone new can arouse suspicion that you’re gone if your home’s being watched by a thieving opportunist.

Living out in “The Sticks”as my husband and I do, you must remember THIS: ANYONE who is intent on stealing your stuff, whether it’s a riding lawn mower or a tiny house, has already CASED OUT YOUR PLACE MANY, MANY TIMES!!! Every single one of our friends who does NOT have an alarm system has been stolen from, some of them multiple times until they wised up and got an alarm system.

The TWO things that truly won’t work against a seasoned thief is A) A dog. (sorry, but they can be shot and killed!) and B) A Motion Detector light that goes on and off. <those things are just down right silly in the country, since high winds, a wind-blown branch, deer, etc. will trip them. Also, if someone is casing your place and they accidentally trigger the light, they will step into the shadows provided on your property, see if someone comes out and if no one responds to the light, they know that they are "Good To Go" regarding robbing your place.

More things that local thieves look for: A) Use of your drive way!!! If there are branches blocking the drive, deep snow or leaves that would be crushed by tires but they are fluffy and intact, THAT tells thieves that YOU ARE NOT HOME!!! B) Trash cans left at the end of the driveway and NOT put back! You're at your tiny home, you bring the trash/recycle bin to the end of the drive, and there it sits…and sits…and sits…for weeks on end! Might as well put out a Big Arse Sign saying "NOT HOME! STEAL FROM ME!"; C) Mail box full…whether real mail or junk mail. All it takes is a thief to open up your rural mail box and see it stuffed to over-flowing with free ad circulars that you only toss when you are home! Easy as pie to realize that you're Ripe For The Picking! D) Vehicles NOT moved! All a thief needs to do is casually place a small twig under a wheel, go back several days later to see if it's been crushed. If it's intact, YEAH!!!, you've just lost your spare car, Jeep, small camper, etc! If the vehicle means something to you, place a Lo-Jack or GPS device on it, somewhere the thief can't easily locate to disable it.

And one more thing: Rural Thieves are NOT interested in your art work, your antiques, or other things City Thieves want. Rural Thieves WANT stuff that THEY can put to immediate use! Trailers, lawn mowers of any kind, chain saws, tools, pumps, snow blowers, snow mobiles, bikes….any USEFUL thing that can't really be traced in the country. One of our best friends owns an extremely pricey Antique Shop in our town; his interior is worth close to a cool $1M in antiques. He was broken into 3 times before he wised up: they ignored the art but took the microwave, stove, frig, TV, space heaters, etc. The weird thing is he has the shop armed like Fort Knox, because he was thinking CITY, not COUNTRY theft.

Also, Light Systems that come on the same time of day in the same rooms don't work. A thief checking out your home only needs to drive by it several times a week, time the lights, and learn that they are on a timer and that NO ONE IS HOME!

If you are in Deep Country and the response time will be long, consider also putting metal grates over your windows that you can unlock when you're around. If response time is over an hour, a thief can trigger the alarm and with the help of several other people, strip your home or garage of almost everything.

Remember, unless it's a Diamond Heist, people that steal want it Fast & Quick. If you make it the teeniest bit hard for them, you are either Off The List or At The Bottom.

This is a really good assessment of things, Cahow. I agree with you totally. The people who have attacked my home are SCRUPULOUS about surveillance; tracking comings and goings, when and what cars are being driven, when I grocery shop or go to town.

I vary my schedule as much as possible but I know I’m constantly being watched because if I get lazy (and don’t lock up bc I’m just running next door to Mom’s to drop off something) they are in, collect my keys or anything else and are gone in the two minute window I provided. Then they copied my keys, returned the original set and were using their own set of keys with impunity.

I put off getting any systems in bc I’m saving for my TH and paying off cc’s. Big mistake. As of yesterday, I ordered my first security system with FrontPoint (1-888-707-1533). I got this system bc it is not hard wired (that they can cut) and when I build my THOW I can transfer this system to it. FrontPoint also has good references (on Angie’s List and elsewhere) and good customer service. They are headquartered in CA but because it is a cell phone service (self-installation) they can service the whole country as long as you have good cell tower reception.

This won’t be my only system. I have Zombie Bars on 2 doors in the house. And I am planning on a CCTV system bc my current foundation house is all on one floor and sprawls out over more area than I can control by myself. I’m going to just keep adding systems until I finally get them out (having already exhausted dogs, guns, light timers and police.)

Thank you, Lisa, for your compliment on my shared thoughts. As an Urbanite for so many years, ALL of what I wrote about was completely out of my wheel-house. It was the wife of the Chief of Police that told me all about this stuff! She and I have become close friends at our church and she’s the one that clued me in. I never, ever would have thought about what IS and is NOT in the driveway: branches blocking egress/no tracks in the snow; trash cans left at the end of the drive for a month or more and especially the innocence of a mail box stuffed with junk mail! The Urbanites that come out here think like City People: motion lights, sign that says, “Protected by…” and don’t think like locals.

And…sad to say, it IS the locals that are the thieves! The Womenfolk are all at their 2nd or 3rd job while the Menfolk are home drinking down their 23rd can of Bud Light, smoking weed and watching sports from their LazyBoy Chair. When their buddies are bored, they going “huntin”, meaning ripping off the City Folks, which they despise with a passion! As far as they are concerned, City Folks are like Locusts, they come from May to late August, raise prices on real estate, get rid of the local bar and put in a micro brewery and cause traffic. What those idiots don’t understand is that they are ALSO bringing jobs and money to the area, neither of which the Lazy Sods can provide for anyone! That casino employs 800 people, of which their “woman” is employed. The micro brewery that employs 29 people used to employ 4 people when it was a 3.2 joint. And rather than a developer taking 60 acres and chopping it up into 125′ x 25′ lots to create more suburbs, the wealthy are buying the entire 60 acres, clearing 1 acre and the remainder is left for the flora and fauna.

But, you won’t get the locals to admit to any of this. They see it as “They’ve got money and insurance; they can buy/build another ______.” That is why I’d NEVER live in Deep Country; you might as well hang a sign out that says, “Good Pickin’s!”

It sounds like you did a lot of good research on your Zombie Bars and CCTV system, Lisa. All the best to you in staying safe and secure!

I am a deer hunter and one if the tools available are trail cameras that are motion sensitive and will contact you at motion via cell phone/ computer. You would have photo proof asas well as real time data someone’s messing with your stuff. At a fair price for security as well.

I had never heard of a “Trail Camera” so off to Amazon I went. Absolutely FASCINATING and now, of course, I.WANT.ONE.!!!! Not for hunting but to peek in on the Night-time World at our feeders to see “who” and “what” is gobbling up all the spilled seeds and table scraps that we have outside.

I had to use a “Nanny Camera”, once, hidden within a light fixture, to catch a roommate who was going into our pantry and eating everyone else’s food; she was evicted from the house we all shared. Sad thing was, she HAD money…she just was a binge eater who couldn’t control her eating habits.

Thanks for the knowledge of that trail camera; I’m excited to save up for one (especially with the “invisible flash option” that some of them have.

That would be the infrared snd that’s the only way to go. It keeps them “invisible”. If there’s a flash the bad guy sees the camera and stesls that as well! 🙁 The ones I mentioned earlier do require cell service so if you are in a poorly served area you might want to get a landline security service that can do the same.

Lisa, tons on amazon for at or about $300. plus cell service. not sure if you can link them with a WiFi hot spot in the tiny house. easy to use. won’t bite the mail carrier. don’t have to clean up the yard. you will have video or photographic proof to go to police/court with. can be placed in or out side. motion sensitive. your smart phone will let you know there’s trouble afoot. call the cops. return home after they intervene on your behalf. house still there! win for you. win for cop. win for tiny house! not so much for the bad guy.

Alex, what an absolutely educational and fascinating blog posting this is! I’m sorry that it was created out of loss, but it had a happy ending. 😀

Another Theft Preventive Measure that I know WORKS (in most cases) is the following: if you have a piece of property that your Tiny Home or ANY home is located upon and there is only ONE ROAD *IN* and the same road *OUT*, you might want to think of installing a Hard Core Metal Security Gate.

Friends of ours have a beautiful cabin located on the Palisades of the Mississippi River in Galena. Their drive way UP to the cabin is so steep, that it’s a 30 minute walk at a steep incline to reach the top of the Palisades. By vehicle, you need a 4-wheel drive to climb the uber-steep incline.

The cabin is located on 16 acres of ravines and they never had a “Do Not Hunt” sign on their property, out of respect for their hunting neighbors and also they knew that NO SIGN would keep hunters off of their land, anyway.

Well, several years ago, their cabin was broken into, along with their large shed and everything that could be stolen, was stolen! The frig, oven, microwave, tv, was taken from inside; all the power tools, trailer, 4-wheel drive RV’s were taken from the garage. You could see the HUGE tire tracks of the trailer that someone had hauled up the drive to bring the stuff away.

Because the cabin is so far from Galena and so difficult to get to, they knew that NO ALARM system would work so they took a cue from a rancher friend of their’s: they installed massively heavy iron gates and bars along the entry of their driveway (which was at river level) and extended them outward to a point where NO TRAILER could be driven to reach the driveway because of massively steep ravines. It did the trick! No more break-ins, at all, because thieves are basically lazy and won’t work that hard when there’s easy pickin’s elsewhere.

To secure our cottage when we’re gone, we have security cameras both on the outside of the house and also pointing out from the window. Plus, we have a local neighbor that comes over twice a day to fill the bird feeders and check on the house. She calls us if she finds anything amiss, which adds to our peace of mind.

One truth – thieves are opportunistic. Most will pick the easiest mark and try for it. Any efforts you take decrease the chances of a theft. He’ll simply keep looking until he finds something easy. It’s their nature since they are too lazy to work for what they want.

Another truth – if someone wants something bad enough, there’s nothing you can do to stop them from taking it. We lived in a rural area when I was a kid and were burglarized several times as were the neighbors in the neighborhood. MO was always the same – drive around in back of the house, smash a door in and grab some stuff. You would have to replace the door and your stuff. We finally started leaving the back door unlocked and sure enough, the neighborhood got hit again. 3 houses had to replace doors again, we did not. The one neighbor that had put in a steel, “burglar proof” door had a wall smashed in by the truck they were driving. He had to replace the wall and his $1200 door. The only thing that stopped it was when a security service started servicing our neighborhood (in the days before cell phones). I’ve had businesses broken into that had alarms, bars on the windows, and “unbreakable” glass. If they want in bad enough, they will get in. If they want your little house, and they have time, they will get it. Cutting torches can remove most any lock you put on a hitch. Do what you can and keep it insured.

Of all the items that I think would help ensure you get your house back would be a GPS location transmitter. You could build it into the frame of the house and have it wired so that it was always broadcasting. Wire a battery and charger along with it. The battery will only last for so long but will recharge when and if they ever plug it into a power source. you could put all behind a hidden service panel so that pieces could be replaced when needed. Services for monitoring run from $2-$10/month. Very glad they got their house back! Hope they get an arrest and prosecution out of the deal!

Could you bring any more of your tiny house building conferences to the mid north-eastern part of the US? I live near Huntington, WV which is about 2 hours from Columbus Ohio, and Lexington,KY. North Carolina is more than 6 hrs away and is the closest to us. I think people in this area would be just as interested as the others. Please give it some consideration! Thank you, Jean Copley

I always leave a junky bicycle leaning against the side of my house to make it look as if someone is in. Also, I go to the thrift store and get some clothes that I hang on the washing line (very securely) again to make the house seem occupied.

We can’t share every detail as the case isn’t closed yet, but drug addicts stole our house. They were bold and brazen and 9 out of the 10 things Alex posted here (with affiliate links, naturally) would not have worked.

Lights, cameras, etc, would not have slowed them down. The thief and his friends actually cased the place more than once in full view of Casey and our neighbors, in broad daylight. When asked what they were doing, they lied and didn’t leave. They didn’t care. They did what they wanted to with no one around to stop them. I’m actually glad we weren’t there to stop them and that my neighbor didn’t arise from her bed when she heard something (it was raining); I am certain that someone would have ended up gravely injured or dead and our house still would have been stolen.

As Cahow said above: dogs can be shot. We know for a fact that the thief has shot dogs in the past and did so without shame.

I think the mega hitch lock is the only way to go for sure. But even then, they may have found a way!

Yes, they think nothing of killing the dogs. I have a foundation house right now and it has been burglarized many times over until very recently as I tried to find ways to keep them out.

When I moved here, I brought with me a gorgeous sable German shepherd dog; he was the love of my life. Within a year I found his lifeless body thrown up on a neighbors lawn three doors down. I got another GSD, and they slashed him, with a box cutter, so bad that he lost the use of his hind legs and I had to put him down.

Thieves are vicious and need to be dealt with accordingly. Many thieves come from whole families that teach criminal behavior cradle to grave. In my town, I can name four such families. I went from never locking my doors, to a door-contact system, plus an interior camera system, and I am now in the process of saving ($5,000.00) for a CCTV system to monitor the whole of my property.

I have found burglars and vandals are very camera shy and my camera has kept them out of the house when I go to the post office or grocery store. You can’t rely on the police. (At this point the police can’t rely on the police they are so confused as to what they are supposed to do and be.)

When I build my THOW, I’m taking my systems with me and will be installing them there together with a lock box on the tongue (or a tongue that can be removed and stored elsewhere) and possibly a couple of wheel locks.

I also own several weapons and have shot at them in the past but they don’t care and guns don’t mean a thing to them. (I think it must be the effects of prolonged drug and or alcohol use.)

I got another dog. This one is a Chihuahua and she’s very good about telling me when there is anybody on the property. I just need coverage when I am not on the property.

I have become very security conscious. I will only have doors that swing inward (so the baddies can’t get at the hinge pins and take the door off, ) and I’m only going to have windows that no human can crawl through. (For a full outside view I’m going to use multiple long slit type windows stacked up that give the illusion of one large window, “eyebrow” windows up high around the interior, and small double-hungs mounted sideways up high. They may still get in, but I’m not going to make it easy for them.

I’m also going to paint it in some bright colors to make it very distinguishable from any other build of the same style. It pays to keep vigilant, too.

I’m glad Casey and Jessica got their THOW back, and I hope the court throws the book at them for such terrible behavior; people work hard for what they have and should be allowed to live in peace.

I am glad the home was found! We are in the process of getting into our tiny house, and given the neighborhood in which it will be placed, these tips came at the perfect time. Thank you. We will be implementing a few of these!

Locking window and door shutters might be a great solution for both moving and securing? We are doing a fold down porch on ours that covers the front french doors while travelling and folds down over the hitch and locks down when parked.

Put a skirt around the tiny house, as well as other things likes plants, benches or even an extended deck. Even if it’s still on wheels, with a solid skirt the would be thief would not know if the wheels are on or not. Also make the utilities difficult to disconnect. (For more permanate setups)

If you have a tablet or extra cell phone (Android) you can download AirDroid. Put the table or phone somewhere hidden. As long as they have power (battery or DC) and turned on then you can log into your account from any computer or your own Android phone and get the GPS coordinates of where your tiny house is…provided the robbers don’t throw it out.

I’m surprised that LowJack wasn’t listed as an option. LowJack, which is technology used by law enforcement to track down stolen vehicles, is highly effective and can be utilized in densely-wooded areas, which often are areas where tiny houses are planted (such as for back-woodsy people like me).

Yes, some of this seems feasible and some of it doesn’t, some might work but most won’t. My question is what ever happened to the old stake routine for tents? Look, I am a woman and I don’t know much about tie downs, but I do know there is a cheaper way to protect your house. At many of the Mobile Home Stores they have Ground and Concrete anchors made for this kind of a problem. Also, you might check Lowe’s or Home Depot for what they call Schlage 30 ft. tie down padlocks. If you got 8 of those and used them to tie down the tiny house no one would take the time to take them off in order to drive away with the house. They are made of steel! This along with the Mobile Home Ground and Concrete anchors would deter a thief!

Has anyone been able to insure their tiny home for fire & contents? We have clients here in British Columbia that are building a tiny home to travel across the country with, and we are running into a brick wall trying to find a company that will insure it. The common thread from the insurance companies seems to be, they won’t insure it because it’s not a manufactured recreation trailer. We will be able to register & plate it for the road, as the clients’ will be having the appropriate inspections done when they are finished. Any suggestions?

I was thinking along the lines the other day, “home security, huh?” I then came upon the idea of an embedded tracking device, a GPS unit, built into the home somewhere so you can find the house anywhere, or have police find it for you.

I will never understand why people use dogs as a tool to protect their property. All I can ever think k of is, what about the dogs life? It’s not fair to animals to treat/use them that way. And who wants a dog that could be mean and tear apart a human being, in their house? If your dog is trained for that reason it doesn’t seem safe to assume they can’t turn on you; deliberately, or by mistake?

And as for a killing tool (gun), what gives anyone the right to feel like they could kill another human being at all? What if this theif is someone’s young child and, if drug addicted, will recover a year later and do something great with their life?

All of these security ideas for your belongings are great. But I think guns are excessive when considering human life.

Hitch Lock is not really the “perfect” option. I prefer home security alarm system any day. We a have simon XTi alarm system in throughout our house. Trust me it helps a lot. Through their image sensors and video monitoring we can instantly get a snapshot or sneek peek of what’s happening when you are not around. I also have an app on my phone which keeps me connected all the time. The Canadian security professionals have their EXCLUSIVE “ crash and smash technology” . It ensure that even if an intruder is able to locate and destroy a security control panel in a “crash and smash” attack, a signal will be sent to you. Its any day my “Plan A” for safe sound family and surrounding.

Along with all of the above ideas, if your home is in a permanent location, I would consider building not only stairs, but also a deck, or two, especially around the hitch. These could serve the purpose of extending living space, but also could certainly make it more time consuming — not to mention noisy, which serves to get the attention of neighbors — for would-be thieves to remove stairs and decking so as to extricate your home, especially if these structures are attached to the home. While nothing can deter the truly ambitious thief, thieves are generally opportunists, and will likely select an easier target if there are too many hurdles to deal with.

I think that you all are forgetting about how easy it is to unplug the electricity from almost any tiny house. I’m more concerned that they would try to steal my solar panels or power cord. No amount of electronic surveillance equipment will save you there. It’s also pretty easy to determine that no one is home as soon as you unplug. If no one comes out to investigate, it’s pretty sure that no one will stop you from stealing.

I would think that an app that alerts you of power interruption would work well here. I wish I had had one when I was in the hospital and my ‘friend’ accidentally unplugged my home, spoiling the contents of my chest freezer.

Great article Alex! Thanks for all of the helpful tips and products to help protect tiny houses. I was reading about a woman in CA who had her tiny house stolen. Luckily it was found and returned to her with no damage. Unfortunately we live in a world where things like this are common and you have to protect your property at all times.

Removable trailer hitch. I had a local welder build a removable and or/ flip up hitch on my flatbed. Takes about 15 minutes to unbolt. It also leaves too little room to pull the trailer even if someone wanted to chain up to the frame. Cost $900. Would be happy to post a photo of the completed project.